Berkey Water Filter Vs Reverse Osmosis

This entry was posted on October 7, 2010 by Dan DeBaun - dan@bigberkeywaterfilters.com.

Berkey Water Filter Vs Reverse Osmosis - Frequently we have customers who ask us to explain some of the key differences between reverse osmosis systems and the berkey water filter systems. While there are many reverse osmosis systems on the market, in general they are similar in results and quality. Below we've broken out some comparison points between the two.

Beneficial Minerals in the Water

Reverse Osmosis systems strip out the beneficial minerals from the water making it an acidic, "hypotonic" solution. A hypotonic solution is a de-mineralized solution. This ultimately has impact on the body because when a hypotonic solution comes in contact with a hypertonic (mineralized) solution, equilibrium is sought. The hypertonic solution in this case is your body's fluids which are full of minerals. Continuous drinking of a hypotonic solution results in minerals being transferred from your body's blood and lymphatic system to this de-mineralized water and being flushed from your body. Over time, in an effort to re-mineralize itself, your body will begin to rob it's organs and bones of these minerals. This continuous cycle will have a negative impact on bodily function unless there is sufficient minerals being taken in through food and supplements to counterbalance.

Diagram of a reverse osmosis system with basic components. Berkey Water Filter Vs Reverse Osmosis Diagram of a reverse osmosis system with basic components. Berkey Water Filter Vs Reverse Osmosis

The black berkey filters that come standard with all our berkey water filter systems are purposefully designed to leave the beneficial minerals in the water to avoid this dangerous cycle of body demineralization.

The flagship Black Berkey Filter Elements The flagship Black Berkey Filter Elements

On a related note, the large majority of the population does not get sufficient minerals from their food because it is nutritionally depleted. No matter what your source of water, or filtration choice, we recommend a high quality multi-vitamin and/or mineral formula on a daily basis.  We stress high quality because many supplements on the market are created with low quality ingredients and are not designed synergistically, and thus are not absorbed or utilized by the body beneficially.

Pathogenic Bacteria Removal

Reverse osmosis systems DO NOT remove pathogenic bacteria like e-coli and giardia. This is the reason why many reverse osmosis systems include an ultraviolet (UV) light designed to kill the bacteria. Sometimes however, if the water has a high turbidity, shaded spots in the water can prevent some of the bacteria from being exposed and killed. Also, if the UV light is installed prior to the bladder tank, it can allow for bacteria to colonize in the bladder tank itself. If this tank is not sterilized often, it becomes a source of bacterial contamination. One other important note is that the remains of dead bacteria remain in the filtered water of RO systems that use a UV light.

The berkey water filter removes the pathogenic bacteria to a log 7 degree and keeps it out of your drinking water. Log 7 equates to a 99.99999% bacteria removal rate.

Installation

The installation of a reverse osmosis system is not terribly difficult, but you would want someone relatively handy or with some plumbing knowledge performing the job. Some companies will do this free of charge, and some RO systems are DIY.  It will depend on the size of the system, the company, and any contract that is signed.

The Berkey system DOES NOT require any expertise and is meant for the lamen. Upon receipt of a Berkey, total priming and assembly time is approx 10-15 minutes. The Berkey is standalone and works independently of your plumbing, so you can setup and move the system where you desire.

A Big Berkey sitting on a kitchen countertop A Big Berkey sitting on a kitchen countertop

Cleaning and Maintenance

Reverse Osmosis systems typically have up to four filter elements, with each needing to be changed at differing intervals from four months up to two years. This replacement requires that the water pressure be shut off and part or all of the system be disassembled for maintenance. Additionally, the bladder tank should be washed with a chlorine solution at no longer than six-month intervals to kill any colonizing bacteria.

The black berkey water filters last 6000 gallons per set of 2 and typically 5 years or more before replacement is needed. The fluoride filter needs to be replaced every 1000 gallons every set of 2. As for maintenance, we recommend washing the lower chamber of the system with soap and water once per month.

Power Needs

An RO systems needs power to operate and filter your water.

A Berkey works via gravity, and DOES NOT need a power source. This is critical in times of an emergency or disaster situation.

Efficiency

A RO system requires approx one gallon of water for every gallon of water that is filtered.

A Berkey DOES NOT waste any water as part of the filtration process.  What's poured into the upper Berkey chamber, is filtered into the lower chamber for consumption.

Cost

A typical reverse osmosis system costs 20-65 cents per gallon.

The berkey water filter costs less than 2 cents per gallon and since it does not require electricity, berkey filters do not have added energy costs.

Taste

Typically, the taste for the reverse osmosis systems can vary depending on if the specific systems re-mineralizes the water or not. So, it can range from almost no taste if the water is not re-mineralized, to the taste of the minerals that is being put back into the water.

The taste of berkey water tends to be very good unless there is an abundance of ionized minerals in the source water as the Berkey will not remove these. This is why we cannot guarantee a taste because not all source water is created equal and Berkey cannot control this. However, we hear daily from our customers about how much they enjoy the taste of their berkey water.

Conclusion

Obviously we are partial, but for the money spent, the Berkey filter is hard to beat.  If you have the space for the Berkey in your kitchen, etc, we think it's a no-brainer for those who want the highest quality of filtered water at a low lifetime of use cost.

This entry was posted in berkey water filters and tagged reverse osmosis berkey water filter, berkey water filters, berkey water filter on October 7, 2010 by Dan DeBaun - dan@bigberkeywaterfilters.com. ← Previous Post Next Post →

99 thoughts on “Berkey Water Filter Vs Reverse Osmosis”

  • Candice Blake
    Candice Blake November 3, 2010 at 12:27 pm

    Hi, I am very interested in the Berkey but must work through my skepticism. How pray tell does it leave in the good stuff (minerals) and filter out the bad stuff (fluoride), other than being "purposely designed". No disrespect intended, just need to know. Thank you.

    Reply ↓
    • Dan DeBaun
      Dan DeBaun November 4, 2010 at 12:43 pm

      Hi Candice -

      The black berkeys do not remove minerals, however they do not remove fluoride either. The black berkeys are composed of various media that will not remove the minerals. Without exposing too many details of the formula, it's similar to the well known fact that carbon does not remove minerals and salts. To remove the fluoride, you need the add-on PF-2 fluoride and arsenic filters that hook onto the black berkey and go in the lower chamber.

      Thanks
      Dan

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      • Eric
        Eric March 27, 2018 at 10:09 am

        Hello- I have a question. We are installing a UV light and sediment filter for lake water at a vacation property. If we then put this water through a Berkey filter for drinking won’t the Berkey filter get clogged with dead bacteria? Also, will the Berkey filter take out any boat gas line or oil that gets into the lake? Will the Berkey water be safe to drink? Thanks!

        Reply ↓
        • Dan DeBaun
          Dan DeBaun March 27, 2018 at 10:13 am

          Hi Eric -

          No, we have not heard of the filters ever getting clogged with bacteria of any type, so we would not be concerned with this. And yes, the filters will remove any type of boat contaminants that may be in the lake.

          Thanks
          Dan

          Reply ↓
  • Annike
    Annike November 30, 2010 at 5:38 pm

    From the response above I got a little confused. If I add the PF-2 fluoride filter to the system, does it mean that other good minerals will be filtered out of the water too. How does the PF-2 filter out only fluoride?
    Thanks,
    Annike

    Reply ↓
  • Cody
    Cody January 2, 2011 at 7:11 pm

    I have owned a Berkey Light with the fluoride filters for a few months now and am very pleased. However, I do have a new concern. There has been a recent report in my city and others about Chromium-6, the "Erin Brockovich chemical". My town just so happens to be on the top of the list of cities whose water supplies are contaminated. Does my system properly filter this or do i need to upgrade?

    Reply ↓
    • Dan DeBaun
      Dan DeBaun January 9, 2011 at 6:19 am

      Hi Cody -

      The black berkeys have been tested for Chromium removal and remove this up to 95%. However, the filters have not undergone testing for Chromium 6 (Hexavalent Chromium) specifically, and as a result we cannot comment as to their effectiveness as this point in time.

      Thanks
      Dan

      Reply ↓
  • joel
    joel January 7, 2011 at 5:40 pm

    all due respect, I keep hearing about how dangerous it is to drink de-mineralized water long term. I wholeheartedly disagree, but have no solid study to back up my claim - just logical rational thought. Here's my reasoning:

    Pure water is not acidic - it is pH neutral.
    It cannot possibly be harmful unless you inject it into your veins.
    Minerals that your body needs are PLENTIFUL in all vegetables and fruits, especially leafy green vegetables. The roots of these plants extract minerals from the soil in the natural proportions required by the body. Minerals found in tap water, on the other hand, come from ??? Pipes? reservoir sediment?

    So, drink pure H2O and eat your vegetables and you will be fine.

    anyone care to challenge this?

    Reply ↓
    • Troy
      Troy August 25, 2014 at 6:49 pm

      Dan, I'm with you and your reasoning. Until I see some unbiased evidence, I can't go along with them. I understand how osmosis works, and what they claim is counter-intuitive.

      Reply ↓
    • Crystal
      Crystal September 30, 2015 at 7:29 pm

      I will challenge your comment. No, it's not enough to get plenty of minerals elsewhere. Drinking "empty" water (with nothing in it--good or bad) will rob your body of minerals through the process of osmosis. Check any chemistry text for this. Osmosis is the process by which solute levels equalize on each side of a semi-permeable membrane. And your GI tract is a semi-permeable membrane. This is not just theoretical--I have seen patients who have severe osteoporosis at a young age, and in every case, they had been drinking reverse osmosis or distilled water for years. And this is not a plug for Berkey--I normally recommend drinking clean spring water, which contains none of the bad, and all of the good.

      Reply ↓
  • joel
    joel January 7, 2011 at 5:42 pm

    oh, and rainwater is probably pretty pure - devoid of minerals for sure. I challenge anyone who says you should not drink rainwater (assuming it did not fall through heavy pollution and/or nuclear fallout).

    Peace. Blessings. Joy.

    Reply ↓
  • chie
    chie July 16, 2011 at 10:18 am

    MY QUESTION, OF ALL THE MODELS YOU HAVE FOR WATER FILTERS WHICH DO YOU SUGGEST IS THE BEST FOR EVERYTHING!!!

    Reply ↓
    • Dan DeBaun
      Dan DeBaun July 20, 2011 at 8:04 am

      Hi Chie -

      The quality across the systems is the same and the "best" for you will depend on how many folks you will be supporting so you can choose the proper size. The most popular systems are the berkey light, big berkey, and royal berkey equipped with the black berkey filters.

      Thanks
      Dan

      Reply ↓
  • Rose
    Rose August 20, 2011 at 4:26 pm

    Hi Dan,

    It's been helpful to read the above comments & responses. I was wondering, why is it that your system has not been certified by california? Thanks,

    Rose

    Reply ↓
  • Darrell
    Darrell August 31, 2011 at 1:41 pm

    Hi Dan, I live part time on the Big Island of Hawaii. Our water source is catchment, that is, rainwater. Over the past few years the island's volcano has been putting stuff in the air that my neighbors have said is resulting in acid rain (SO4, I believe is what the chemical is). I've been drinking city water, which is a pain to lug an hour from town out to our avocado farm. What effect, if any would acid rain water have on the filter and are you are aware of any downside to people from filtered acid water (most of my neighbors drink this water, after some kind of filtering). Thanks, Darrell

    Reply ↓
    • Dan DeBaun
      Dan DeBaun September 14, 2011 at 8:03 am

      Hi Darrel -

      We are unaware of any negative effects that the acid rain will have on the berkey filters. However, the manufacturer has not done any specific testing under these conditions so we cannot comment to how well they would perform.

      Thanks
      Dan

      Reply ↓
  • Leonard
    Leonard September 6, 2011 at 12:49 am

    Hi would like to know if the taste of the berkey water is the same as a normal r.o. supply. I currently own a canford unit, will the berkey give me good tasting water too?

    Reply ↓
    • Dan DeBaun
      Dan DeBaun September 14, 2011 at 8:05 am

      Hi Leonard -

      Yes, the water should taste good since the berkey water filter will leave in the beneficial minerals in the water, and this is where the taste is primarily based upon.

      Thanks
      Dan

      Reply ↓
  • Richard
    Richard September 15, 2011 at 4:05 am

    Why can't we purchase a Berkey in California for the purpose of filtering our fish tank water? I would like to order a a Royal Berkey "goldfish filter" please.

    Reply ↓
  • Steve
    Steve October 27, 2011 at 8:48 am

    We live on a 12 acre farm that was a proffessional chicken farm and grass seed. I have been told that my well water is high in nitrates and that a reverse osmosis system is the only way to remove them. Your comparison does not cover this, do you have any information pertaining to the treatment of water with nitrates?

    Thanks
    Steve

    Reply ↓
  • Steve P.
    Steve P. November 7, 2011 at 5:51 am

    We've got slightly Salty tasting Well water.Will the Black Berky Filters take out the salty taste? Would adding the Extra filters on the Bottom Help?

    Reply ↓
    • Dan DeBaun
      Dan DeBaun November 7, 2011 at 8:24 am

      Hi Steve -

      I'm sorry, but no. Neither the black berkeys, nor the PF-2 filters remove salt from the water and actually none of the berkey filters will remove salt.

      Thanks
      Dan

      Reply ↓
  • jesse
    jesse January 20, 2012 at 5:21 pm

    Does berkey have a way to remove nitrates which is our biggest obstacle/ JESSE

    Reply ↓
  • John Smith
    John Smith April 10, 2012 at 5:52 pm

    I've been reading some good reviews about the black filter system, however I've also read many that say the filters fell apart after a short while.

    Has this problem been resolved?

    Reply ↓
    • Dan DeBaun
      Dan DeBaun April 10, 2012 at 6:30 pm

      Hi John -

      This occurred with 3-6% of a batch of filters produced in November 2010. It did not happen prior to that, and since the issue with that batch, they now use a stronger food safe glue and machine the filters onto the base so that even if the glue were to fail, they would not break off. Some dealers held onto inventory throughout 2011 and did not swap out their inventory. Thus this is why this one isolated batch issue seems like it was reoccurring.

      Thanks
      Dan DeBaun

      Thanks
      Dan

      Reply ↓
  • db
    db June 12, 2012 at 4:31 pm

    What about radioactive nuclear isotopes?

    Reply ↓
    • Dan DeBaun
      Dan DeBaun June 12, 2012 at 7:18 pm

      Hi db -

      The filters have yet to be tested for such, so we cannot comment as to their effectiveness. We are just as curious regarding this also as we know there has been concern for some time, and it only continues to grow. The moment we are notified of updated testing in this regard, we will make the information known on our site and our facebook page.

      Thanks
      Dan

      Reply ↓
  • Nick
    Nick December 1, 2012 at 9:41 pm

    Hi Dan

    Just wondering in a situation where you do not have pressurized water from the tap, what would be the best way to prime the elements? Example of being in the field and not having primed the elements before hand.

    Thanks
    Nick

    Reply ↓
    • Dan DeBaun
      Dan DeBaun December 4, 2012 at 10:58 am

      Hi Nick -

      A sport bottle would probably be your best method and soaking can work also, but is less efficient. Your best bet would be to prime the black berkeys upon receipt and then store them for when you need them. If it happens to be at a time when water pressure is not available, this is not an issue as they've already been primed.

      Thanks
      Dan

      Reply ↓
  • Betsy Jenkins
    Betsy Jenkins July 1, 2013 at 8:57 am

    Hello,
    I am contemplating buying one of your filtration systems. My well water has a very high level of DISSOLVED iron in it. I understand that the iron must be converted to particulates prior to filtration, then filtered with a "sand trap" type of filter. How can your system be used to filter water such as this? If it cannot, can you give some guidance on where I might go for information on how I might accomplish this using NON-electrical means?
    Thanks!

    Reply ↓
  • Angela
    Angela August 29, 2013 at 1:05 am

    Hi- I am wondering if you can keep the Berkey in the refridgerator? Will it damage it in any way?

    Reply ↓
  • Jeremy Morris
    Jeremy Morris October 2, 2013 at 12:41 pm

    We have moved to the country with lots of farmland around us. The ground water here is high in Nitrates. I have read the previous posts about nitrates. You state that the black berkey filters reduce nitrates but does not remove them. Would you say that after filtering my water with the berkey that my 18 month old son could drink the water? We have had our filter for about six years and love it so far!

    Reply ↓
    • Dan DeBaun
      Dan DeBaun October 2, 2013 at 1:23 pm

      Hi Jeremy -

      Without testing on your water, pre and post filtration, we cannot speak to whether it is removed to safe levels or not. We recommend taking the filtered water to a local testing facility to ensure it's removed to safe levels.

      Thanks
      Dan

      Thanks
      Dan

      Reply ↓
  • raymond
    raymond October 16, 2013 at 5:36 am

    I live in Ontario and have been looking into $1500 basic house R/O filtration systems. Just came aross your filter and seems too good to be true. Iys a fraction of the price, removes the same if not more impurities AND unlike the R/O systems it leaves the minerals in the water. And all without additional electricity or plumbing! I love what I read but a few questions please:
    Is/does your filter have to be approved by ANSI like the other name brands or did you just test the cartridges through them?
    What is your return policy if I were to take my filtered water for testing and potentially not add up to your claims?
    What is the warranty on the filter and its components and what it the availability of the parts?

    Thanks

    Reply ↓
    • Dan DeBaun
      Dan DeBaun October 16, 2013 at 9:26 am

      Hi Raymond -

      All tests on the filters are performed by State & EPA accredited laboratories to exceed EPA 7 ANSI / NSF regulations. These test results can be viewed here:

      https://www.bigberkeywaterfilters.com/helpful-resources/test-results

      Shipping, return, and warranty information is found here in this link below, and parts are always available for replacement if required.

      https://www.bigberkeywaterfilters.com/shipping-returns

      Thanks
      Dan

      Reply ↓
  • Linda
    Linda November 18, 2013 at 9:46 pm

    Hi Dan,

    I wanted to be absolutely certain that your filters take out uranium, as well as arsenic, out of the water. And if so, which filter would that be that does this. Since uranium is radioactive (although I think this radioactivity has a short live span), how does it not affect the water if the filters never have to be changed for so long, etc.

    Linda

    Reply ↓
  • Rebecca Cody
    Rebecca Cody November 30, 2013 at 12:01 am

    Does your filter system remove bromine?

    Reply ↓
  • Terry
    Terry February 2, 2014 at 2:59 pm

    Wondering about glyphosate. Can ANY filter get this stuff out? My home is surrounded by crops.

    Reply ↓
    • admin
      admin February 3, 2014 at 7:49 pm

      Hi Terry -

      Yes, the black berkey filters will remove glyphosate from the water.

      Thanks
      Dan

      Reply ↓
      • Annie
        Annie October 7, 2015 at 3:57 pm

        I am curious to see the studies you have showing glyphosate removal. I do groundwater research and the latest studies that I find say that glyphosate is not easily removed from drinking water except by treatment with chlorine. Please show me the research/ results so I can help advertise.

        Reply ↓
  • Deedee Burke
    Deedee Burke February 10, 2014 at 11:23 am

    I would like to know , if i already have a reverse osmosis system with a separate drinking spout on the sink. Can I use your filters to make my water more pure?

    Reply ↓
    • admin
      admin February 10, 2014 at 2:42 pm

      Hi Deedee -

      If you RO system does not use UV light, then the Berkey filters would remove bacteria such as e-coli and giardia from your water if it was in there.

      Thanks
      Dan

      Reply ↓
  • Deni
    Deni April 26, 2014 at 6:43 pm

    Hi,

    I just purchased the Berkey Royal and the water tastes fine. I have been putting in my plastic bottled Spring water to get rid of the Anatomy from the plastic bottles. I did discover something interesting. I tested the alkaline of the Poland Spring plastic bottled water before putting it through the Berkey and it was on the acidic side, but after I put it through the Berkey, it tested as high Alkaline. Is this an artificial method of making the water less acidic? And is the water now a healthy Alkaline for drinking everyday.? I know that There are unhealthy methods of creating Alaklaine water with electricity for example, but I wanted to know if the water produced by the Berkey is healthy Alkaline water since it clearly changes acidic water to Alkaline water.
    Thanks, Deni

    Reply ↓
    • admin
      admin April 27, 2014 at 2:33 pm

      Hi Deni -

      We are not familiar with healthy vs unhealthy alkaline water. Alkaline is simply the definition of PH 7+. With that being said, the black berkeys can make the water alkaline as the remove acidic chemicals from the water, leaving a more alkaline solution. The berkey systems do not add anything to water that may influence the PH. However, not all berkey filtered water is guaranteed to become alkaline because it will be dependent on the source water makeup, which can vary greatly.

      Thanks
      Dan

      Reply ↓
  • Debbie
    Debbie August 26, 2014 at 8:04 pm

    We recently purchased a Royal Berkey. Family members claim the water tastes a bit metallic, I just think the taste is a little off. We are used to r/o water so could this taste be from the minerals or do we have a filter problem?

    Reply ↓
    • Dan DeBaun
      Dan DeBaun August 27, 2014 at 12:03 pm

      Hi Debbie -

      The stainless does not add any metallic taste to the water, so this may be the change in mineral content they are tasting. Water many times will taste substantially different with minerals versus no mineral especially if the levels are high. To make sure your filters are working as designed, you can also perform a red food coloring test shown here:

      https://www.bigberkeywaterfilters.com/blog/berkey-water-filter/the-black-berkey-red-food-coloring-test

      Thanks
      Dan

      Reply ↓
  • Ken Fogel
    Ken Fogel October 23, 2014 at 5:35 pm

    What is the main difference between the Big Berkey and the Royal Berkey?

    Is it that the Royal contains the arsenic/flouride cartridges alreay installed?

    Reply ↓
  • Deni
    Deni March 2, 2015 at 4:43 am

    Hi, I have been using your black filters since 12January2015. Before that was using the ceramic filters for 2years. There really is no comparison, the Black filters wins, hands down. I wanted the black filters, 2 years ago, after all my research and finally someone got the stock in Australia.

    The water is so nice, absolutely love it, and regarding this water tasting different after RO water, yes it would, because RO water has everything taken out of it, even all the minerals, and I was using RO water for about 2years and my health went downhill. As stated it leaches minerals from your body and it is acidic. Dr Mercola mentions this in one of his youtube videos.

    I am feeling better after buying the black filters, as I am chemically sensitive and I could still slightly taste the chlorine with the ceramic filters. My mum has rain water and the berky water does not taste that much different to her water, a little but very close indeed.

    Yum I love it, and honestly I love drinking it and I crave berky water and I feel hydrated and feel better, and to last for 22,000 litres for 2 filters, WHAT A BARGAIN !!!

    Reply ↓
  • JET
    JET March 16, 2015 at 10:35 am

    First question: Does the Berkey remove Monochloramine, dichloramine (NHCl2) and trichloramine (NCl3) from drinking water. This is a dangerous product of mixing chlorine and ammonia as noted by the WHO below and is sometimes contained in source water.

    Second question: How does the 'good minerals' remain after using the Berkey is your test results show removal of 99.9% of contaminants and minerals?

    Thanks
    John

    http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/dwq/chemicals/en/monochloramine.pdf

    Reply ↓
    • Dan DeBaun
      Dan DeBaun March 16, 2015 at 10:43 am

      Hi Jet -

      Yes, the filters have been tested for Chloramines. Test results here:

      https://www.bigberkeywaterfilters.com/chloramine-pharmaceutical-pesticide-etc-results/

      As for the minerals, the filtration media that is used in the black berkeys does not have an attraction to minerals, so the filtration media simply doesn't have an affect on those minerals, and thus they pass through.

      Thanks
      Dan

      Reply ↓
  • corina
    corina May 28, 2015 at 11:13 am

    Hello,
    Does your water filtration system eliminate glyphosate--that is the main ingredient in Roundup? We live in a rural area, our water well is located on a neighbor's land, who uses Roundup to kill stubborn brush, and have serious concerns about the pollution with glyphosate, which has been proven to be linked to Non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Your answer would be highly appreciated, thank you.

    Reply ↓
  • Rick
    Rick June 10, 2015 at 10:02 am

    I have been seeing a lot of press lately regarding pharmaceuticals in our drinking water. Can you please comment at the effectiveness of the Berkey filters removing some / all of these? Do RO systems remove these?

    Reply ↓
    • Dan DeBaun
      Dan DeBaun June 10, 2015 at 10:34 am

      Hi Rick -

      Yes, the berkey was recently tested for pharma removal. Test results found here:

      https://www.bigberkeywaterfilters.com/chloramine-pharmaceutical-pesticide-etc-results/

      As for RO systems, we've heard varying answers so would not want to make a blanket statement. We would contact the RO company you are considering and ask them for test results on this.

      Thanks
      Dan

      Reply ↓
  • balleto
    balleto June 30, 2015 at 3:19 am

    My little town in So. IL. just found Radium in our water system. How do I find out the results for radium with my Burkey system? I bought my Burkey two months ago because our water tasted funny. Shortly after my purchase these test results came out. I called the company but the young man could not answer my question. I can not find any results with my Burkey and radium.

    Reply ↓
    • Dan DeBaun
      Dan DeBaun June 30, 2015 at 12:55 pm

      Hi Balleto -

      The filters have yet to be tested for Radium, so we do not know the filter removal efficiency for this contaminant.

      Update 10/11/12 - Testing has now been done and the results are found here.

      Thanks
      Dan

      Reply ↓
      • Jeff
        Jeff October 11, 2016 at 9:41 pm

        There's no fking way you had a lab test over 100 known contaminates and didn't include radium in the test panel. There are millions of wells that are contaminated with radium in America. How could you not test for it's removal? This is the main reason reverse osmosis is the only type of filter system recommended for wells.
        I suspect that you found it to not remove enough and simply deleted it from the results so you could claim ignorance but either way, not testing for it's removal is just plain irresponsible on the part of Berkley.

        Reply ↓
  • Christina
    Christina January 25, 2016 at 1:53 pm

    Does the Berkey eliminate chloroform, tetrahydrofuran, methyl ethyl ketone, acetone and organotins from the water? Thanks!

    Reply ↓
    • Dan DeBaun
      Dan DeBaun January 25, 2016 at 7:37 pm

      Hi Christina -

      A listing of all the contaminants removed by the black berkey filters can be found on this page:

      https://www.bigberkeywaterfilters.com/black-berkey-filters-2.html

      Thanks
      Dan

      Reply ↓
  • Char
    Char February 28, 2016 at 2:51 pm

    So much to learn!
    1-When I called I was told I would not need a PF filter as it was for fluoride. We have no fluoride added to our city water so thought no concern. Yet I read here that PF filters are necessary for arsenic. Now I am confused
    2-Understand reverse osmosis is not good, but what about ionized water? Read this is a good thing. Is it?
    Is there ionization with the Berkeys?
    Thank you for so sharing so much information, just having trouble getting through it all so apologize if I missed these questions somehow/somewhere.

    Reply ↓
    • Dan DeBaun
      Dan DeBaun February 29, 2016 at 10:31 am

      Hi Char -

      1) The black berkeys have been tested to reduce arsenic now also, so they will address this.
      2) Ionized water over the short term has shown some benefits, but there is much debate as to whether drinking ionized water over the long term periods is as beneficial for the body as makers would claim. We would recommend researching this more.
      3) The Berkeys do not Ionize the water.

      Thanks
      Dan

      Reply ↓
  • Kellie
    Kellie March 4, 2016 at 2:01 pm

    This may be a silly question and not the right place to ask, but right now my biggest obstical with water filtering is that I need to have filtered water for my automatic ice maker in my fridge and I need to have a source of running water from my sink for doing dishes and such. Are the ways I can do that with the Berkey system??

    Reply ↓
    • Dan DeBaun
      Dan DeBaun March 4, 2016 at 2:08 pm

      Hi Kellie -

      We only provide 2 types of filtering.

      1) A shower filter that goes in between your pipe in the wall and the shower head itself.
      2) Gravity water filter that sits on a counter top to be used for drinking and cooking water.

      We do not have in line filters that could fit into an ice maker or under the sink. Let us know if we can help with anything else.

      Thanks
      Dan

      Reply ↓
  • Jessica
    Jessica June 17, 2016 at 1:29 am

    Do the ceramic filters take out the minerals?

    Reply ↓
  • Nagib
    Nagib August 22, 2016 at 7:02 am

    Hi,
    Do Berkshire filters remove ECDs ( endocrine )?
    Thanks.

    Reply ↓
  • chelle
    chelle December 2, 2016 at 8:45 pm

    it is not true that the black berkey filter removes glyphosate. i work in a food safety testing lab and can show you my own drinking water results, via LCMS/MS testing for glyphosate in water, pre and post berkey filtration.

    Reply ↓
  • Samone
    Samone December 3, 2016 at 5:44 am

    Hello. I'm new to learning about Berkeys and appreciate your being here Dan. I have read that if you don't use the Berkey for more than 3 days, you need to take it apart to dry out. But what do you do when you don't use the Berkey for 1 or 2 days? Should the lid be opened to air out, or wiped out, or just left alone with no water inside it? What is best?

    Reply ↓
    • Dan DeBaun
      Dan DeBaun December 3, 2016 at 7:16 pm

      Hi Samone -

      There are guidelines we recommend for system use, but there are no hard and fast rules. You do not need to take apart and dry out the system if not used for a few days. However, what can happen is that calcium build-up on the black berkeys can harden on the outside of the filteers if the system is not used for some time. This can help to clog the filters and may require some maintenance once the system is put back into use. We would not overthink this though as most folks will leave for vacation, and start the system up with a fresh filtered batch once they return, and the system is good to go without any special attention. The only thing we would say is that if leaving for extended periods (more than a few days), to place the fluoride filters in the fridge until they're ready to be used again.

      Thanks
      Dan

      Reply ↓
  • Ashlee
    Ashlee December 3, 2016 at 9:45 am

    Which filter (if any) reduces nitrates? Testing to back this up? My city water was just found to be high and the private company choose not to notify the residents over two months of elevated levels. Have not backed up their claims that it is now safe with any proof. Won't talk to the media about it. I'm horrified. Hoping berky will be a good alternative....

    Reply ↓
  • Melody
    Melody January 12, 2017 at 9:58 pm

    We live in an area that has very hard water, therefore, we have a water softner installed in our home. Does salt actually end up in our water from this and is our new Berkey going to filter it out if it does?
    Thanks!!

    Reply ↓
    • Dan DeBaun
      Dan DeBaun January 15, 2017 at 7:40 pm

      Hi Melody -

      If your softener uses salt, then it would be in your water posts softening. The berkey does not remove salt from the water, so it would still be there post filtration.

      Thanks
      Dan

      Reply ↓
  • Bea
    Bea April 6, 2017 at 2:13 pm

    I read the 10/15/2014 report on pesticide contamination and don't see glyphosate listed (N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine or 2-[(phosphonomethyl)amino]acetic acid).
    I also don't see neonicotinoids (like Acetamiprid Clothianidin Dinotefuran Imidacloprid Nitenpyram Thiocloprid Thiamethoxam) listed either. Since recent studies have found them in tap water, I assume that "clean" spring water contamination can't be too far behind.
    I want a Berkey --- very much!
    Just wondering if there's a more recent report that addresses these contaminants.
    THANKS - learned a lot already by reading all your answers, Dan.

    Reply ↓
    • Dan DeBaun
      Dan DeBaun April 7, 2017 at 9:49 am

      Hi Bea -

      A complete list of what the black berkey filters remove can be found here: (Glysophate is listed)

      https://www.bigberkeywaterfilters.com/black-berkey-filters-2.html

      For the other contaminants you mention, if you do not see them listed, it means they have yet to be tested for. With so many contaminants out there, the company is continually trying to get new test results to address them, but as you are probably well aware, it can be hard to keep up. :)

      Thanks
      Dan

      Reply ↓
  • andy mock
    andy mock July 29, 2017 at 12:01 pm

    I would like a list of all of the contaminants that the berkey filters out. I am considering buying a berkeyfilter .Right now I have a RO filter system.

    Thanks, Andy

    Reply ↓
  • Jane Bogle
    Jane Bogle December 10, 2017 at 1:42 pm

    Does the Berkey filter remove chlorine?

    Reply ↓
    • Dan DeBaun
      Dan DeBaun December 10, 2017 at 1:44 pm

      Hi Jane -

      Yes, it does. A listing of the contaminants removed by the black berkeys can be found here:

      https://www.bigberkeywaterfilters.com/black-berkey-filters-2.html

      Thanks
      Dan

      Reply ↓
  • Aníbal M
    Aníbal M April 18, 2018 at 12:33 am

    How could I buy a Berkey filter and ship it to Santiago de Chile? And if I want to be an official distributor on Latin America?

    Saludos!

    Reply ↓
    • Dan DeBaun
      Dan DeBaun April 18, 2018 at 1:51 pm

      Hi Anibel -

      Due to unreliable shipping conditions, we are unable to ship to Chile. To be a distributor, please contact us at customerservice@bigberkeywaterfilters.com for additional info.

      Thanks
      Dan

      Reply ↓
  • Theo
    Theo October 31, 2018 at 3:23 am

    To be honest, the article should have mentioned that pretty much every reverse osmosis system you are going to put in your house will have a remineralization stage to add healthy minerals back into the filtered water and bring the pH back to a healthy level. The bad part in my opinion is that R/O at best wastes a gallon of water for every gallon it provides. A gravity filter like Berkey gives you all the water back that you put in. Also, if you ever got into a situation where you had no power and maybe no available running water, R/O is useless.

    Reply ↓
    • Dan DeBaun
      Dan DeBaun October 31, 2018 at 1:42 pm

      Hi Theo -

      Thanks for the input! The wasting of water and the need for power are both good points we did not mention in this article. We will add these in.

      Unfortunately the re-mineralization stage is still not offered in many RO standards. We've also have read some articles that claim that the minerals are not put back into the water as well as the RO companies would like the customer to believe. Food for thought.

      Thanks
      Dan

      Reply ↓
  • Leah M.
    Leah M. November 10, 2018 at 8:06 pm

    Hi there,
    I spent some time reading through the comments looking for fluoride information, and I did see some but I still have some thoughts. Here are my questions: how *much* fluoride is removed with the fluoride filter, and is there a difference in the mineral content before and after the fluoride filter? I was looking at another similar filter system, and they advertise that the minerals stay in the water until you put in the separate fluoride, and which point the mineral content drops because the fluoride filter is a “finer” filter that also removes some minerals. Is your system the same? Thank you.

    Reply ↓
    • Dan DeBaun
      Dan DeBaun November 10, 2018 at 10:37 pm

      Hi Leah -

      The amount of fluoride removed will be dependent on how much is in the water to begin with. So, the testing provides percentage removal rates. The fluoride filters can remove up to 99.75% of the fluoride.

      The PF-2 fluoride filters DO NOT remove any minerals from the water.

      Thanks
      Dan

      Reply ↓
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